Disposable gas lighter

ABSTRACT

A gaseous fuel disposable lighter filled through the flint support and having novel scraper and gas flow regulator construction. Means to prevent the dispensing of fuel in liquid form is also provided.

United States Patent Inventor Edmundo Villarreal-Cueva General Molinos del Campo 15-2, Colonia San Miguel Chapultepec, Mexico App]. No. 876,262 Filed Nov. 13, 1969 Patented July 20, 1971 Priority Nov. 28, 1968 Mexico 107,416

DISPOSABLE GAS LIGHTER 7 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl. 431/254, 431/277 Int. Cl F23q 2/16 l leldofsearcll 431/254, 277, 273

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,148,522 9/1964 Court 1. 431/254x FOREIGN PATENTS l,l72,887 1 6/1964 Germany 431/254 Primary Examiner-Edward G. Favors Attorney-Burns, Doane, Benedict, Swecker & Mathis ABSTRACT: A gaseous fuel disposable lighter filled through the flint support and having novel scraper and gas flow regulator construction. Means to prevent the dispensing of fuel in liquid form is also provided.

PATENTEBmeom 3,594,108

' sum 2 [1F 2 llll ll The present invention refers to an improved cigarette lighter, and more particularly, to a gas fuel cigarette lighter disposable once the original fuel supply has been exhausted.

l-leretofore, it has been a common practice in the design of cigarette lighters to use a large quantity of complex parts involving a series of difficult processes for its production. In the disposable-typeconventional cigarette lighters of the prior art, such designs often require a large number of steps in their production. Accordingly, the assembling of the different pieces that comprise such lighters has been a complicated procedure involving a slow and expensive production which is undesirable from any standpoint.

Conventionally for the manufacture of cigarette lighters of the disposable type, a system for the regulation and the control of the flame has been used incorporating a series of turned, 'fonned and assembled parts, including springs and other special parts, which because of their small size make the assembling operation an extremely complicated one. There are commercially available disposable-type cigarette lighters of various features, but they all use, to a greater or lesser degree, a large'number of parts. A complex assembly and the need of a large number of workers, the efficiency of which is accordingly lessened, is thus required. This in turn creates the necessity of large quantities of raw materials for the manufacture of the lighters. All the above-mentioned drawbacks have resulted in an increased production cost.

It is accordingly an object of this. invention to provide a novel cigarette lighter which will obviate the various abovementioned disadvantages, in relation with the disposable-type gas fuel lighters at present commercially available.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel disposable-type cigarette lighter of simplified design produced with such a low cost that the lighter can be disposed of once the. fuel supply is finished.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a novel cigarette lighter in which the number of parts have been reduced to those which are indispensable and essential for effective operation, thus employing a minimum of material in the manufacture of the lighter of the present invention without detriment to its operation.

Yet another object of the present invention is to enable the production of a novel gas fuel lighter at reduced cost thereby making it possible to use it as a disposable lighter due to the economy in manufacture.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more clearly apparent through the following description made in relation with the drawings, in which the same reference numbers have been accorded similar parts.

THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an elevation in section of the lighter of the present invention taken through the longitudinal axis thereof;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the lighter of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an elevation in partial'section showing the valve coupling and the volume regulator coupling of the lighter of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a pictorial view of the spring-coil and scraper comprising the spark mechanism of the lighter of FIG. 1.

THE DETAILED DESQRIPTION With reference to the figures, particularly to FIG. 1, it may be observed that the lighter of this invention is found to be constituted by a chamber for gaseous fuel covered by a cap 1' portion integral with the body 1 of the lighter, a chamber 11 for the spring coil 13 and flint 14, two car clamps of the scraper l0, and is distinctive because, in addition, it presents a valve coupling which permits the outflow and stoppage of gas, a volume regulator coupling of gas expelled, a scraper device 37 made up of laminated parts 31, stamped, dented and assembled, and a dispositive which permits the filling of the lighter with the gas through the aforementioned chamber of the spring-coil l1.

Once again referring to the drawings in a more detailed manner, it will be observed that the lighter of this invention consists of a portion of body 1 with the cap portion 1 which functions as a chamber for fuel. Said portion of body 1, in the particular way illustrated, has a shape of essentially rectangular cross section. Many other different shapes are, however, equally operative. The body 1 may be extruded of plastic and closed at the bottom or may comprise three separate portions as illustrated.

In the upper part of the portion of body 1, there is a chamber 11 which includes a spring-coil 13 and a flint 14. The chamber 11 is placed exactly between two projections 10 located on the cap 1 portion of the body 1. Between the pro-' jections 10, the scraper 37 is mounted. This feature is novel in the lighter of this invention. Actually, this scraper 37 is made up of a series of sheet metal washers 31 stamped in circular form with indentations around the circumference thereof. In addition, each one of the sheet metal washers 31 has a pair of indentations 32 and 32' oppositely disposed projections so that when said washers 31 are put together, the peripheral indentations will coincide.

The scraper is totally comprised of two end spools 33, 33' on a common shaft 34 utilized for the purpose of introducing the scraper, after assembly, in the slots between the ears or projections 10.

Now, referring to F IGS. 4D and 45, it may be observed that spool 33 shows in its inner surface the depressions 32 and 32' which will house the two corresponding projections of the adjacent sheet metal washer 31. At the same time, this stamped sheet metal washer 31 will have, on the surface opposite the surface of the circular projections, two depressions at the same points to house the projections of the adjoining stamped sheet metal washer and so on to finish with the spool 33' on the right side. A rigid joining of the sheet metal washers 31 and the end spools 33 and 33' is in this way obtained after having included the desired number of stamped sheet metal washers 31.

Returning now to FIG. 3, it may be observed that the lighter presents on top of the body portion, a nipple support 7 in which a metallic nipple 9 will be inserted from the inside, and which has at the extreme top a small sphere 8 grooved to provide a micrometric space for gas escape.

The lower part of the mentioned metallic nipple 9 is connected with a tube 12 extending through the length of the lighter up to a point near the bottom of the gas chamber where it is connected with an extremely curved tube 25 extending upwardly to finish at a point adjacent to the upper inside end of the chamber 1 for gas fuel.

The object of the tubes 12 and 25 is to prevent the gas, in its liquid state contained in the fuel chamber 1, from being expelled in that state since the lighter will naturally be subjected to a series of positions which might cause a variation in the size of the flame if these tubes 12 and 25 did not exist. Additionally, without the existence of these tubes, there is the risk in that the gas might be expelled in its liquid state which would result in an excessively big flame and an immediate waste of fuel. Due to the aforementioned tubes 12 and 25, it is practically impossible for the gas to be expelled in a liquid state since the tube 25 ends at a point adjacent to the upper inner part of chamber 1.

With reference to FIG. 3, it may be noted that in the upper part and around the support 7, there is a cylindrical body 3 of rubber, or any other elastic material, which may be presented in two positions. One is the depressed position, that is, in nonoperative state, in which the upper inner part of the elastic cylinder 3 compresses the metallic sphere 8, sealing the nipple tightly and permitting no gas to escape. The other of said positions is when the cylinder is found to be in stretched form (FlG. 1),that is, in operative position, in which the inner surface of the upper part of the cylinder 3 is separated from the sphere 8 because the lever 2 raises the upper part of the elastic cylinder. The lever 2 will have limited movement because of the buffer stop 37.

When the inner surface of the cylinder 3 is not compressing the metallic sphere 8, the gas will be delivered to the interior of the empty elastic cylinder and from there through a small nipple 38, curved outwardly, to the exterior for ignition. The volume regulator coupling of gas delivery is made up of one hollow support in which a hollow metallic part 9 which expels the gas is inserted. The part 9 terminates at an open end and space may be provided, when the surface of the sphere 8 is uniform, through inlets located on the seat of the metallic part 9 or by small depression marks provided on the surface of the sphere 8. The sphere 8 will always remain fast to the aforementioned metallic part 9 since it does not have any circular movement and is kept in place by the border 10.

Therefore, as mentioned before, the elastic cylinder 3 may take two different positions, through the activation of lever 2.

To make the change in position of the elastic cylinder 3, and consequently to permit or to avoid the escape of gas, a lever 2 has been disposed with its activating end forming a plate which can be activated by the finger of the user. At its point of support, the lever 2 has two small prongs which rest on the upper surface of the cap 1' of the lighter. At its reactive end, the lever 2 is built in such a way that it presents an annular perforation 26', into which the elastic cylinder 3 has been inserted. The cylinder 3 presents on its upper surface a circular border 4 which will be activated by portion 26' of the lever.

in this way, when the lever 2 is depressed at its activating end, it will cause an upward movement of the reactive end of the lever, that is, of the annular portion 26' of the same. In its upward movement, the annular portion 26 of the lever 2 will lift the upper part 4 of the elastic cylinder 3, causing a stretching of the same, and causing said cylinder to take the operating position. it will be understood that the greater the pressure on the activating end of the lever 2, the greater will be the stretching of the cylindrical body and consequently the volume of gas delivered will increase in proportion providing a larger flame. With the lighter of the present invention, the size of the flame will thus be directly proportional to the pressure applied on the activating end of the lever 2. In this way, the size of the flame may be regulated with extreme simplicity.

It must also be noted that the metallic sphere 3 in the nipple 9 is provided to prevent the gas from escaping with excessive pressure and volume since gas in only delivered through the micrometric space which exists between the sphere 8 and the border 10 of the metallic nipple 9.

A fundamental feature of the present invention is that the sphere mentioned always remains fast in the metallic nipple 9 in a manner in which said sphere 8 will never revolve.

Even though in the embodiment particularly described,.

mention is made to the inclusion of the metallic sphere 8 within the metallic nipple 9 which goes inside the plastic support 7, in an alternate embodiment, the metallic nipple 9 may be eliminated and the sphere fitted directly on the support 7.

- The micrometric space between the sphere and the plastic may be provided either by means of inlets in the support 7 or through small depressions or notches on the sphere 8.

Another aspect particularly important of the present invention is the way in which the lighter may be filled with gaseous fuel. To accomplish this operation, before introducing the coil 13 and the flint 14 into their lodging, the lighter may be pressure filled with gas through the lodging for the coil 13 and flint 14. In this manner, the part 35 will be subjected to two pressures in opposite directions, since in one way it will tend to be expelled by the pressure of the gas, but in another way it will be compressed by the pressure exercised by the coil 13.

Even though a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention has been described and illustrated, it is obvious that those expert in the art may make several changes and modifications within the'scope and range of the present invention, for which it is contended that the previous description and the drawings be considered solely as illustrative and not limiting, and that the scope of said invention will remain defined only within the terms ofthe following claims.

What I claim is:

l. A lighter comprising:

a generally cup-shaped housing having a cap portion scalably secured thereto to define a chamber for gaseous fuel, said cap portion having a first aperture in fluid communication with said chamber through-which fuel may be introduced into said chamber, and said cap portion having a second aperture spaced from said f irst aperture in fluid communication with said chamber; 1

means for preventingv the egress of fuel from through said first aperture;

valve means for controlling the egress of fuel from said chamber through said second aperture, said valve means including v an expansible generally cup-shaped conduit sea lably secured at the open end thereof to said cap porti on around said second aperture to form an expansible chamber over said second aperture, said expansible conduit sealing said second aperture only when in a normal unexpanded position,

a nozzle in fluid communication with said expansible chamber through said expansible conduit at a point spaced from said second aperture agd means including a hollow tube in fluid communication with said fuel chamber and a sphere nonrotatably mounted therein, said sphere substantially filling said hollow tube to limit the egress of fuel from said fuel chamber through said tube to said expansible chamber;

a scraper carried by said cap externally of said chamber;

a flint carried by said cap in pressural engagement with said scraper; and

lever means carried by said cap portion externally of said chamber for controlling the operation of said valve means, said lever means being connected at one end thereof to said conduit for controlling the expansion thereof to thereby permit the egress of fuel from said fuel chamber into said expansible chamber for egress through said nozzle.

2. The lighter of claim 1 wherein said tube is connected to one end of a U-shaped tube within said fuel chamber extending substantially the length thereof, the other end of said U shaped tube terminating adjacent said valve means.

3. The lighter of claim 2 including a pair of projections extending upwardly from said cap portion on opposite sides of said first aperture and substantially equidistant from said second aperture;

wherein said scraper comprises: a shaft carried by said projections; a plurality of flat cylindrical washers coaxially carried by said shaft over said first aperture, each of said washers having a plurality of notches on ,the radial periphery thereof; and means for preventing the rotation of one of said washers independently of the;other said washers; and

wherein said means to prevent egress of fuel from said fuel chamber through said first aperture includes a tube in fluid communication with said fuel chamberi through a deformable wall;

wherein said flint is slidably mounted in said tube for movement along the longitudinal axis thereof;

wherein said means for preventing the egress of fuel from said chamber through said first aperture includes spring means within said tube in pressural engagement with said wall and said flint whereby said wall may be deformed into said fuel chamber to permit the filling thereof with fuel through said tube and whereby said wall may be thereafter maintained in an undeformed position against the pressure of the fuel within said fuel chamber by the opposing pressure of said spring meansi'an'd wherein said lever means is carried by said projections at a point intermediate the ends thereof, one end of said lever said \chamber means being adapted for manual engagement and the other end of said lever means being connected to said expansible conduit whereby the flow of fuel through said valve means is related to the depression of said one end of said lever means. A lighter comprising:

generally cup-shaped housing having a cap portion sealably secured thereto to define a chamber for gaseous fuel, said cap portion having a first aperture in fluid communication with said chamber through which fuel may be introduced into said chamber, and said cap portion having a second aperture spaced from said first aperture in fluid communication with said chamber; means for preventing the egress of fuel from said chamber through said first aperture; valve means for controlling the egress of fuel from said chamber through said second aperture; a scraper carried by said cap externally of said chamber and comprising a shaft,

a plurality of flat, cylindrical washers coaxially mounted on said shaft, each of said washers having an axial aperture to receive said shaft and a plurality of notches on the radial periphery thereof, and

means for preventing the rotation of one of said washers independently of the other of said washers;

a flint carried by said cap in pressural engagement with said scraper; and

lever means carried by said cap portion externally of said chamber for controlling the operation of said valve means.

5. A lighter comprising:

a generally ctip'shaped housing having a cap portion sealably secured thereto to define a chamber for gaseous fuel, said cap portion having a first aperture in fluid communication with said chamber through which fuel may be introduced into said chamber, and said cap portion having a second aperture spaced from said first aperture in fluid communication with said chamber;

means for preventing the egress of fuel from said chamber through said first aperture, said means comprising a hollow tube in fluid communication with said chamber through a deformable wall, said wall passing fuel only when deformed,

a flint slidably mounted in said hollow tube for movement along the axis thereof, and

spring meansin said tube in pressural engagement with said wall and said flint whereby said wall may be deformed into said chamber to permit the filling thereof with fuel through said tube and whereby said wall may be thereafter maintained in an undeformed position against the pressure of the fuel within said chamber by the opposing pressure of said spring means; valve means for controlling the egress of fuel from said chamber through said second aperture;

a scraper carried by said cap externally of said chamber in pressural engagement with said flint; and

lever means carried by said cap portion externally of said chamber for controlling the operation of said valve means.

6. A cigarette lighter comprising a hollow housing having an internal space for storing a supply of fuel and an outlet opening through which gaseous fuel may pass from said space,

a hollow, resilient, expandable cylinder of elastomeric material having a first end wall fixed to said housing and a second end wall spaced from said first end wall, said first end wall being provided with an inlet opening in communication with said outlet opening in said housing, said second end wall being provided with an outlet opening through which gas may flow from the interior of said cylinder to the atmosphere, I I conduit means within said cylinder communicating with said inlet opening and terminating in a restricted gas passage adjacent said second end wall of said cylinder, said cylinder being of a length such that in its normal, unexpanded, state the material of said second end wall bears resiliently against and closes said restricted gas passage to prevent the flow of gas from said conduit means into the interior of said cylinder, manually operable means connected to said cylinder for resiliently elongating said chamber when desired so as to move said second end wall away from said restricted gas passage to permit gas to flow from the. interior of said housing, through said conduit means and the interior of said cylinder, and out of said outlet opening in said cylinder, and means for igniting the gas exiting from said outlet opening in said cylinder. 7. A cigarette lighter according to claim 6, wherein said conduit means includes a member having a generally cylindrical passage therethrough, and a generally spherical element mounted in the outlet end of such cylindrical passage to restrict the flow of gas from such passage to small zones between the adjacent surfaces of the spherical element and the cylindrical passage. 

1. A lighter comprising: a generally cup-shaped housing having a cap portion sealably secured thereto to define a chamber for gaseous fuel, said cap portion having a first aperture in fluid communication with said chamber through which fuel may be introduced into said chamber, and said cap portion having a second aperture spaced from said first aperture in fluid communication with said chamber; means for preventing the egress of fuel from said chamber through said first aperture; valve means for controlling the egress of fuel from said chamber through said second aperture, said valve means including an expansible generally cup-shaped conduit sealably secured at the open end thereof to said cap portion around said second aperture to form an expansible chamber over said second aperture, said expansible conduit sealing said second aperture only when in a normal unexpanded position, a nozzle in fluid communication with said expansible chamber through said expansible conduit at a point spaced from said second aperture, and means including a hollow tube in fluid communication with said fuel chamber and a sphere nonrotatably mounted therein, said sphere substantially filling said hollow tube to limit the egress of fuel from said fuel chamber through said tube to said expansible chamber; a scraper carried by said cap externally of said chamber; a flint carried by said cap in pressural engagement with said scraper; and lever means carried by said cap portion externally of said chamber for controlling the operation of said valve means, said lever means being connected at one end thereof to said conduit for controlling the expansion thereof to thereby permit the egress of fuel from said fuel chamber into said expansible chamber for egress through said nozzle.
 2. The lighter of claim 1 wherein said tube is connected to one end of a U-shaped tube within said fuel chamber extending substantially the length thereof, the other end of said U-shaped tube terminating adjacent said valve means.
 3. The lighter of claim 2 including a pair of projections extending upwardly from said cap portion on opposite sides of said first aperture and substantially equidistant from said second aperture; wherein said scraper comprises: a shaft carried by said projections; a plurality of flat cylindrical washers coaxially carried by said shaft over said first aperture, each of said washers having a plurality of notches on the radial periphery thereof; and means for preventing the rotation of one of said washers independently of the other said washers; and wherein said means to prevent egress of fuEl from said fuel chamber through said first aperture includes a tube in fluid communication with said fuel chamber through a deformable wall; wherein said flint is slidably mounted in said tube for movement along the longitudinal axis thereof; wherein said means for preventing the egress of fuel from said chamber through said first aperture includes spring means within said tube in pressural engagement with said wall and said flint whereby said wall may be deformed into said fuel chamber to permit the filling thereof with fuel through said tube and whereby said wall may be thereafter maintained in an undeformed position against the pressure of the fuel within said fuel chamber by the opposing pressure of said spring means; and wherein said lever means is carried by said projections at a point intermediate the ends thereof, one end of said lever means being adapted for manual engagement and the other end of said lever means being connected to said expansible conduit whereby the flow of fuel through said valve means is related to the depression of said one end of said lever means.
 4. A lighter comprising: a generally cup-shaped housing having a cap portion sealably secured thereto to define a chamber for gaseous fuel, said cap portion having a first aperture in fluid communication with said chamber through which fuel may be introduced into said chamber, and said cap portion having a second aperture spaced from said first aperture in fluid communication with said chamber; means for preventing the egress of fuel from said chamber through said first aperture; valve means for controlling the egress of fuel from said chamber through said second aperture; a scraper carried by said cap externally of said chamber and comprising a shaft, a plurality of flat, cylindrical washers coaxially mounted on said shaft, each of said washers having an axial aperture to receive said shaft and a plurality of notches on the radial periphery thereof, and means for preventing the rotation of one of said washers independently of the other of said washers; a flint carried by said cap in pressural engagement with said scraper; and lever means carried by said cap portion externally of said chamber for controlling the operation of said valve means.
 5. A lighter comprising: a generally cup-shaped housing having a cap portion sealably secured thereto to define a chamber for gaseous fuel, said cap portion having a first aperture in fluid communication with said chamber through which fuel may be introduced into said chamber, and said cap portion having a second aperture spaced from said first aperture in fluid communication with said chamber; means for preventing the egress of fuel from said chamber through said first aperture, said means comprising a hollow tube in fluid communication with said chamber through a deformable wall, said wall passing fuel only when deformed, a flint slidably mounted in said hollow tube for movement along the axis thereof, and spring means in said tube in pressural engagement with said wall and said flint whereby said wall may be deformed into said chamber to permit the filling thereof with fuel through said tube and whereby said wall may be thereafter maintained in an undeformed position against the pressure of the fuel within said chamber by the opposing pressure of said spring means; valve means for controlling the egress of fuel from said chamber through said second aperture; a scraper carried by said cap externally of said chamber in pressural engagement with said flint; and lever means carried by said cap portion externally of said chamber for controlling the operation of said valve means.
 6. A cigarette lighter comprising a hollow housing having an internal space for storing a supply of fuel and an outlet opening through which gaseous fuel may pass from said space, a hollow, resilient, expandable cylinder of elastomeric material having a first end wall fixEd to said housing and a second end wall spaced from said first end wall, said first end wall being provided with an inlet opening in communication with said outlet opening in said housing, said second end wall being provided with an outlet opening through which gas may flow from the interior of said cylinder to the atmosphere, conduit means within said cylinder communicating with said inlet opening and terminating in a restricted gas passage adjacent said second end wall of said cylinder, said cylinder being of a length such that in its normal, unexpanded, state the material of said second end wall bears resiliently against and closes said restricted gas passage to prevent the flow of gas from said conduit means into the interior of said cylinder, manually operable means connected to said cylinder for resiliently elongating said chamber when desired so as to move said second end wall away from said restricted gas passage to permit gas to flow from the interior of said housing, through said conduit means and the interior of said cylinder, and out of said outlet opening in said cylinder, and means for igniting the gas exiting from said outlet opening in said cylinder.
 7. A cigarette lighter according to claim 6, wherein said conduit means includes a member having a generally cylindrical passage therethrough, and a generally spherical element mounted in the outlet end of such cylindrical passage to restrict the flow of gas from such passage to small zones between the adjacent surfaces of the spherical element and the cylindrical passage. 